As Good As Family
by TeeFly
Summary: Sydney and Jarod think about how much they mean to each other.
1. Jarod If Only you Knew

**As Good As Family**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the pretender characters or ideas they belong to TNT and NBC...Please don't sue thought I have no money!**

**Sydney's POV**

Sydney sat in his office and loosened his tie. It was late but he didn't go home mostly because he had no one to go home to but also he was in the Centre so much he practically lived there. He got up and walked over to where the mini Empire State Building that Jarod built when he was 4 or 5 was. He looked at it and smiled it brought him back in time. He remembered Jarod at that age so unique so full of curiosity and bright way beyond his years but he also remembered a hurt sad little boy who missed his family. Sydney had so much wanted to be like a father to him to show him the way to be in the world and take him away from that place but he was to scared it was too dangerous they would've killed him and Jarod would've been just a lab rat for them to use at their disposal. Sydney had always loved Jarod but he had never told him. He wasn't sure why now that he thought about. Maybe to protect Jarod maybe to protect himself. All Sydney knew was that Jarod meant more to him than most anything and he would do what he had to do to make sure that the Centre never laid another hand on him. They had stolen his life once (which most of the time Sydney felt personally responsible for) and Sydney would be damned if they were going to do it again. When Jarod escaped from the Centre Sydney felt mixed emotions he had felt glad that Jarod would finally be able to experience life, scared that Jarod would get hurt, and sad that he couldn't see Jarod every day. In fact he rarely saw Jarod at all though he talked to him all the time…but to Sydney it just wasn't the same. At the same time Sydney was so proud of Jarod and all the things he had done to help people. He was always willing to lend a helping hand. (Proud in the way a father is of his son when he graduates college and does something with his life). How he still had the compassion Sydney would never know.All he knew was that he loved Jarod and he would do whatever it took to protect him.


	2. Like Father & Son

**Chapter 2 **

Sydney was awaken from a deep sleep all of a sudden by a loud crash (he was at home) he jumped out of bed crept toward his closet and pulled out his gun. He was scared what if the Centre had decided he had worn out his welcome and his job was done but he knew too much for them to just fire him. He crept down the stairs toward his living room where he was sure the noise was coming from. He kept the lights off he figured he stood a better chance that way after all he knew his house better than anyone in the Centre. Come to think of it he was pretty sure nobody from the Centre had ever even seen his house much less been inside of it. He was at the bottom of the stairs (which went in 2 directions toward his kitchen of his living room) he decided that he would check the kitchen first but right when he turned around the light behind him switched on. He turned around slowly with his eyes closed. When he was all the way around he still didn't open his eyes (he didn't want to see his murderer) but then a familiar voice said, "Gee and all this time I thought you'd be happy to see me." Sydney opened his eyes and heaved a sigh of relief.

It was Jarod. "I am happy to see you Jarod I just thought you were someone from the Centre." "Well that explains the gun." "OH! Yeah sorry" (Sydney was slightly embarrassed) but Jarod didn't notice he was too glad to see Sydney. At that point Jarod went over and hugged Sydney. "What was that for Jarod?" "I'm just glad to see you Sydney I haven't seen you in a while or even talked in a while. I missed you." Sydney smiled "I missed you too Jarod." Then Sydney said "Wait Jarod how'd you get in here and why someone from the Centre could have seen you and caught you." "Calm down Sydney," Jarod said "Nobody saw me I don't even think they know where you live and as for how I got in all I can say is you taught me well Sydney." This made Sydney laugh. Jarod was happy to see him smile it reminded him of a less frightened less cautious Sydney like the one Jarod had grown up with the man that he loved and considered to be as much of a father to him as his own father was. After all he had raised him and protected him as best he could and Jarod never forgot that. Sydney had never told Jarod that he loved him as a son but he decided to change all that after all he was getting old and the Centre might decide to "fire" him and he owed Jarod as much truth as he could give him. "Jarod there is something I need to tell you and I need you to just listen and not say anything until I'm done O.K." "Sure Syd you can tell me anything" "Jarod as you know we spent a lot of time together in all of your years at the Centre and even though it was a terrible time in your life I like to think that we had some good times and it wasn't all bad. I was never married nor did I have children of my own at least not that I knew of so most of my time was spent at the Centre with you as I spent more and more time with you our bond grew and you weren't just a project but a very close friend. So as the years passed I grew more and more attached to you and it became harder and harder to try and pretend I was just your psychiatrist but yet I kept pretending not even allowing my self to know the truth. But I can't keep on pretending Jarod the truth is I think of you as my son and I love you more than you could ever know." Sydney had tears in his eyes and he turned to face Jarod who was sitting on the couch next to him tears in his eyes too. "Sydney my whole life that I can remember I have wanted you to say that to me so I could tell you that you are my father in all the ways that count and so I could say that I love you to Sydney I always have and I always will"


	3. The Words I've Always Needed to Hear

**Disclaimer**: Still not mine……

**The Words I've Always Needed to Hear**

Jarod and Sydney both stood there astonished at finally hearing the words it seemed they had waited an entire lifetime for. If Sydney had ever been so happy in his life it was at this moment and likewise for Jarod. In that moment Jarod had a brilliant idea.

He decided to ask the question even though the answer scared him to death. "Sydney, run away with me. Leave the Centre and that life behind. I can keep you safe. Please Sydney." He said and the look in his eyes was one Sydney had grown to know very well over the years. A look of pleading and one of hope, he had no choice but to answer Jarod like he had always wanted to.

"Okay, Jarod I will come with you. But I need to tell you how sorry I am for everything I did to you. For keeping you away from you're family. For not giving you a proper childhood, for not being the kind of guy that would save you, I am truly sorry." He said tears welling in his eyes and his voice begging for forgiveness. In Jarod's mind there was nothing to forgive.

"Sydney, you were the only one I trusted without you I don't know what would have become of me. I am everything that I am because of you. And I know you wanted me to have a better childhood, but if you had tried to rescue me you would have ended up like Miss Parker's mom and what would have happened to me then?" Jarod honestly stated.

"Maybe you are right Jarod, but I still feel like I failed you, like I could have done more."

"You loved me and treated me like I was your own son. I think that is all you could do under the circumstances." Jarod loved Sydney. He was the father he never had and he didn't want him to feel like he had let him down. He had forgiven Sydney a long time ago. The person he wasn't able to forgive was himself.

"I still love you Jarod, and I want what is best for you. If me being with you is going to slow you down or hinder you in some way please just tell me I promise it would be okay."

"Sydney you being with me would help not hinder. I will know for sure you are safe and not have to worry as much about being caught. Without you they are flying auto pilot blind." He joked. Sydney laughed.

"They will never stop looking for you though Jarod I hope you know that." He said genuinely concerned.

"I know Sydney but let them look, all they will find are breadcrumbs and pez left in our wake." He said smiling.

"Are you still going to help people?" Sydney asked already knowing the answer.

"You say that like I have a choice, of course people never stop needing someone to stand up and fight for them."

"How did you turn out so good and caring?" he said to himself more than anyone else.

"I had a good teacher."

They both smiled at each other. Years after that day they would look back and laugh at how different there lives were now than they were all those years ago.

Sydney had once again fallen in love with Michelle. They had gotten married in Hawaii, with Jarod and Nicholas as his 'best men'. Nicholas had also gotten married. Her name was Eva and they had a beautiful daughter named Sarah. She was Sydney's first grandchild. The first of many, most of them belonging to Jarod and his wife Carmen, who had 5 children. Three boys and two girls, Jake, Lukas, and Sydney were the boys and Maria and Sophia were the girls. Although the oddest thing of all was that Miss Parker had gotten married too, her husband was Broots, if you can believe that. They had two daughters Andrea and Olivia.

Sydney and Jarod would never have guessed how there life could have ended up and if you told them years ago I doubt they would have believed you. Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you and before you know it, your life is better than you yourself could have planned it. They lived, at the moment, in Panama City, Florida, enjoying life and just relaxing. The Centre would never stop trying to find Jarod, he knew that but he was more determined than ever to stay away. His life hadn't gone where he thought it would as a child, but he had definitely ended up where he belonged. With his family.

The End. Hope you liked it!!!!!!


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